Soon a runner came from the Seoqgwageonon, who told the Cherokee that they wanted to have war with the Seneca and that he had come to challenge them. The Seneca answered, “We will try to gratify them;” so they started for the Seoqgwageonon village, guided by the Cherokee. They came to an opening, from which it was one day’s journey to the first village. Stopping at a hill in this opening, they were about to send two messengers to the Seoqgwageonon when the Cherokee said, “You must send them so as to arrive at [[432]]the village about sundown.” They did this. When the messengers arrived near the village they saw that the Seoqgwageonon were playing ball. The messengers then went around to the south side and threw sumach darts, so as to deceive the other Indians into thinking them of their own people. The Seoqgwageonon so regarded the messengers, hence they did not take notice of them. The messengers having killed a man, scalped him, and rushed off whooping. On the way home the Seneca kept saying to one another, “Djágon—brace up, take courage.” About dusk they saw dust rising from the ground a good distance behind. The Seoqgwageonon on horses were pursuing them. The Seneca saw that they would be overtaken in the open, so they hurried to a dry creek with overhanging banks, where they hid. Soon the horses and dogs drew near, but the dogs failed to find the Seneca and the pursuers went on. Shortly they returned, but again failed in their search.
The next morning the Seneca went on to Odaiadon, where there was an opening into a forest. The messengers soon saw the dust a second time and knew from this that they were being pursued. In a little while they could see the horses which were coming on them; soon the horses were near. The arrows of the Seoqgwageonon whizzed past them, and now their enemies were almost on them, but the runners were at the opening, where their people were arrayed in the form of a horseshoe. As soon as the pursuers got into this formation the Seneca closed in on them, capturing and killing all but one, who, being in the rear, turned and fled in time. The two Seneca now followed the horseman until they saw that he met a crowd. He talked to his people, and he and they went back together to the country of the Seoqgwageonon.
The Seneca and the Cherokee now went to the Cherokee country, and in a month the Seneca returned to their own place.
After a while the Seneca said, “Let us go again to our friends, the Cherokee.” When they arrived there all were glad and invited them to their lodges. They said to the Seneca: “We hear that the Seoqgwageonon think the Seneca are dangerous and bad people. They themselves are fortune-tellers and can see what other people are going to do, but they can not tell what the Seneca are going to do. They are magically more powerful than the others.” During this visit they merely amused themselves with games and other sports.
81. Hatcinondon:[367] A Historical Tradition
Hatcinondon was a great warrior, the greatest among the warlike Seneca of the Iroquois Confederation.
Once Hatcinondon led a large company of warriors to the Cherokee country on a raid. In time they arrived at a place called Oyada[368] [[433]]Thadinongeh, which was within the Cherokee country. They knew well that the Cherokee were on the lookout for them. Having reached this place, Hatcinondon told his men to remain where they were, and that he would go ahead to spy out the land and to learn what could be done. Then he departed from the camp of his men. Soon it was discovered by the enemy that he was in the Cherokee country, and he was closely pursued by them. He fled into a region covered with a heavy growth of reeds, which was in two great sections, with a narrow strip of comparatively clear land between them. Hatcinondon managed to escape into one of these stretches, unobserved by the enemy, who believed that he had concealed himself in the other part. So they set guards at the narrow strip of land dividing the two sections of reedy land. After they had set fire to the reeds and burned them up they made a careful search for his charred body; but Hatcinondon had fallen asleep from exhaustion in the other stretch of reeds. During the night, however, two men came to him, who seized him by the arms, saying: “We have come for you.” When they had brought him to the place whence they had been sent, they said to him: “We have now brought you to this man who sent for you.” Whereupon the two men pointed out a lodge, with the words: “There is where the Heron lives who sent for you.” Hatcinondon went up to the lodge, but could find no doorway; but after he had searched for some time without success he heard a voice on the inside say, “Come in!” and a door opened of itself, and Hatcinondon entered the lodge. Within he found a man, who said: “I sent for you, and you have now come. Are you not hungry?” At this Hatcinondon thought: “This is a strange way; this is not the way I do. I would give the food at once.” But Ne Hononhsot, knowing the thought of Hatcinondon, laughing, remarked: “I said that only in fun.” Arising, he got half a loaf of bread made of corn meal, half a wild apple, and half a pigeon, which he offered to his guest. Hatcinondon said, laughing: “How little it is that will satisfy me.” To which Ne Hononhsot answered: “If you eat this I shall give you more.” As soon as Hatcinondon began to eat he saw that as he ate everything became whole again, so that he was not able entirely to consume anything. He was finally satisfied with what he had eaten. Then Ne Hononhsot said: “Now that you have finished eating I will speak with you further.”
While Hatcinondon was speaking he heard footsteps of someone approaching on a run, and suddenly the door was thrust open, whereupon the Sun came in so quickly and with such brightness that he had to hold his head down to shield his eyes. The newcomer conversed with Ne Hononhsot but Hatcinondon could not understand a word that was said. In a short time the visitor started off toward [[434]]the east. Then Ne Hononhsot said to Hatcinondon: “This man is the one whom you Seneca call Endekha Gaahgwa.[369] It is night now down on the earth, so he is hurrying toward the east. He told me of a great battle that is now ended.”
Ne Hononhsot was indeed Hawenniyo, and he said: “This is what I expected when I created human beings. I thought they would fight. The man who has just been here is the one who watches on the earth below. I want you to know that when you meet an enemy who shoots at you, you must not run away but must walk straight up to him. He shall not hurt you. An arrow shall not kill you. It is something else that shall kill you. Now you shall eat again.” Ne Hononhsot next gave him the same kind of food, one half of each object. Then he continued: “I am the cause that the Seneca do not now fight with the Cherokee, for I love both tribes. When you return home you will find all your people there, and they will know that you are alive. When you get back to your party of warriors you must tell them that they must leave the warpath at once and cease fighting, returning to their homes and remaining there until they shall find something to satisfy their wants. Now my messengers are ready to lead you back to your camp.”